Melania Trump Visits Ex-Slave Holding Facility in Ghana

By Patsy Widakuswara

Melania Trump visited a former slave holding facility on Ghana’s coast Wednesday, calling it “very emotional” and “really something that people should see and experience.” On the second day of her goodwill trip to Africa, the U.S. first lady visited the Cape Coast Castle, one of about 40 "slave castles" built on the Gold Coast of West Africa by European traders.

Before arriving, in accordance with local custom, the first lady stopped at Eintsimadze Palace to formally ask permission from King Osabarimba Kwesi Atta II to visit his land.

The meeting between Trump and the King took place inside “Obama Hall,” which was named after President Barack Obama visited in 2009 with his family.

Slave Castles

Cape Coast Castle is an iconic location for visiting dignitaries. In 2009, Obama said that, for him, as an African-American, the place represents both “profound sadness” as well as a source of hope. “It reminds us that as bad as history can be it's also possible to overcome,” he said.

Obama took his family to another African slave outpost in 2013, known as the “House of Slaves” at Senegal’s Goree Island, once a notorious embarkation point for Africans destined for a life of slavery. The 18th century fort was the same spot that President Bill Clinton and first lady Hillary Clinton visited during their 11-day tour of Africa in 1998.

Malawi, Kenya, Egypt

After Ghana, Mrs. Trump is scheduled to head to Lilongwe, the capital of Malawi, and then travel to Kenya and Egypt.

Melania Trump's tour follows her husband’s reported disparaging comments about Africa and immigrants from the region.

Malawian political scientist Vincent Kondowe lamented the reported comments and what he sees as the Trump administration's limited attention to the continent, only to "counter the influence of China and to fight against terrorism."

But, he welcomed the first lady's visit as a “message of goodwill” that he hopes will lead humanitarian organizations to pay more attention to the socio-economic challenges Malawi is facing.

Despite 50 years of peaceful independence, Malawi remains one of the poorest nations in the world, with more than half of its 17 million population living below the poverty line and around 40 percent unable to read.

Kondowe said he hoped the first lady’s visit might lead to more positive attention and policy from the U.S. administration.

“You never know about bedroom politics,” he said. “What she's going to say about Malawi, about Ghana… we know that government policy can be influenced based on the views of who is holding the office of the presidency."

American aid programs remain important for meeting crucial needs in countries like Malawi. Here the first lady is expected to highlight the Trump administration’s support for vulnerable groups through the USAID program.

USAID funds for Africa were slated for significant cuts in the Trump administration’s proposed budget but have been blocked by Congress.

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